Tame your invoices with a simple guide!
Dozens of suppliers, hundreds of invoices. Along with that comes constant searching, rewriting, and re-entering data. It's a perfect time-waster that can be easily resolved.
As a restaurant owner, you know that daily operations, dealing with guests, and managing staff are already demanding. When you add the chaos of supplier invoices, it can become a complete nightmare. How to do it?
A Very Familiar Situation
- Invoices arrive in various ways, not uniformly. Electronically to different emails, in various formats, and even handed over in person when you're not present.
- Paper invoices get lost—at the bar, in the office, anywhere—and often arrive late.
- You have to manually enter data from PDFs and paper documents.
- You lose track of which invoice has been paid and which needs to be followed up. Then there's the matter of which ones need to be sent to the accountant.
- Often, due to addressing errors, payments are missed, leading to unpleasant reminders or, in the worst case, fines.
Fortunately, there's a simple solution. Dishboard can automate the entire process of delivering, processing, and archiving invoices. Even if you haven't tried Dishboard yet, this guide will help you. Below, you'll find step-by-step instructions on how to set up a process so that all invoices always end up where they should—and you no longer have to worry about searching, retyping, or making corrections.
1. Compile a List of Suppliers
To know whom to focus on and who can be excluded at the beginning of the process.
How to do it:
To know whom to focus on and who can be excluded at the beginning of the process.
How to do it:
- Ask your accountant for an export of all suppliers, including the number of invoices over the past 12 months.
- Upload the data into a simple spreadsheet where you'll immediately see which suppliers generate the most invoices.
2. Remove One-Time Suppliers
"One-timers"—those who sent you fewer than two invoices per year—aren't worth dealing with initially.
How to do it:
"One-timers"—those who sent you fewer than two invoices per year—aren't worth dealing with initially.
How to do it:
- In the spreadsheet, mark suppliers with fewer than two invoices and temporarily set them aside.
- Focus on the few main ones who send regular batches of invoices.
3. Set Up a Unique Email for Invoices
A single inbox for all invoices means no lost documents.
How to do it:
A single inbox for all invoices means no lost documents.
How to do it:
- Create an address like invoices@your-bistro.com.
- Share only this address with all main suppliers and in your company contacts.
4.Notify Suppliers of the Change
Without clear communication, invoices will continue to get lost among other mail.
How to do it:
Hello,
From now on, please send all invoices exclusively to xxxxxxx@dishboard.app.
This small change will save us time and ensure prompt payment without delays.
Thank you for your understanding,
[Your Name]
Without clear communication, invoices will continue to get lost among other mail.
How to do it:
- Write a brief, friendly email to all important partners:
Hello,
From now on, please send all invoices exclusively to xxxxxxx@dishboard.app.
This small change will save us time and ensure prompt payment without delays.
Thank you for your understanding,
[Your Name]
- By mentioning timely payments, you ensure that suppliers make the update on their end. After all, who wants their invoices to be overdue, right?
5. Update Invoice Email in All Systems and Services
Services that regularly charge your card (POS, reservation systems, marketing tools) send invoices automatically.
By updating the email, you ensure that even automatically generated invoices land in your new central inbox.
Services that regularly charge your card (POS, reservation systems, marketing tools) send invoices automatically.
By updating the email, you ensure that even automatically generated invoices land in your new central inbox.
6.Establish a Process for Paper Invoices and Receipts
Paper documents are the easiest to lose, especially when a supplier delivers goods, and you're not present.
How to do it:
Assign a responsible person or role to receive paper invoices and immediately photograph and send them to the designated address.
This way, you'll never have to worry about the original document again.
Paper documents are the easiest to lose, especially when a supplier delivers goods, and you're not present.
How to do it:
Assign a responsible person or role to receive paper invoices and immediately photograph and send them to the designated address.
This way, you'll never have to worry about the original document again.
7. Set Up Automatic Forwarding to Dishboard
If you're already using Dishboard for financial management, you're already saving time through automation. This step will make it even easier. If you're not using Dishboard yet, you can skip to step number 9.
Invoices will then go directly into the system for immediate processing.
How to do it:
In Dishboard, under the Invoices section, you'll find a unique email address specific to your account. All invoices sent to this email are automatically processed, entered into the system with data extraction, and the due date is recorded in the calendar with a reminder.
If you're already using Dishboard for financial management, you're already saving time through automation. This step will make it even easier. If you're not using Dishboard yet, you can skip to step number 9.
Invoices will then go directly into the system for immediate processing.
How to do it:
In Dishboard, under the Invoices section, you'll find a unique email address specific to your account. All invoices sent to this email are automatically processed, entered into the system with data extraction, and the due date is recorded in the calendar with a reminder.
In your email client settings (Gmail, Outlook), create a filter:
All messages sent to invoices@… → forward to your Dishboard import address (e.g., xxxxxx@dishboard.app).
Dishboard will automatically import the documents. Below is an example for Seznam Email.
All messages sent to invoices@… → forward to your Dishboard import address (e.g., xxxxxx@dishboard.app).
Dishboard will automatically import the documents. Below is an example for Seznam Email.
8. Use Cash Flow, Transaction Matching, and the Calendar
You’ll see at a glance which invoices have been paid and which are still pending.
Thanks to smart filters, you can generate a list of invoices awaiting payment, as well as payments that are waiting on invoices.
You’ll see at a glance which invoices have been paid and which are still pending.
Thanks to smart filters, you can generate a list of invoices awaiting payment, as well as payments that are waiting on invoices.
9. Regularly Evaluate Your Supplier List
One-time suppliers can become regulars, while inactive ones unnecessarily remain in the system.
Once every quarter, repeat the export from your accountant.
Update the spreadsheet: add new regular suppliers and remove those who no longer send invoices.
One-time suppliers can become regulars, while inactive ones unnecessarily remain in the system.
Once every quarter, repeat the export from your accountant.
Update the spreadsheet: add new regular suppliers and remove those who no longer send invoices.
10. Write and Share a Brief Manual
Why: People follow what they know and understand. It will also make things much easier for new employees.
How to do it:
Why: People follow what they know and understand. It will also make things much easier for new employees.
How to do it:
- Summarize the entire process on one A4 page: from the first export to matching invoices in Dishboard.
- Add a few screenshots (e.g., setting up email filters, importing in Dishboard).
- Save the document in a shared storage (e.g., Google Drive) and train your team.
The result?
With this approach, your invoices will always be under control: they’ll arrive in one central place, Dishboard will import them, you’ll easily match them with payments, and avoid endless searching. Your cash flow system will be bulletproof and always under your control.
Most importantly – you’ll save dozens of hours that you can dedicate to your guests instead of paperwork and bureaucracy.
Get started right away – the first step is the easiest: ask your accountant for a list of suppliers and their invoices. Good luck!
With this approach, your invoices will always be under control: they’ll arrive in one central place, Dishboard will import them, you’ll easily match them with payments, and avoid endless searching. Your cash flow system will be bulletproof and always under your control.
Most importantly – you’ll save dozens of hours that you can dedicate to your guests instead of paperwork and bureaucracy.
Get started right away – the first step is the easiest: ask your accountant for a list of suppliers and their invoices. Good luck!
Overview of food cost and other key metrics in Dishboard.
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